Printing machine



* Ma 28,1935. w. T. GOLLWITZER 2,002,773!

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov, 22, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 fizz/12757 May 28, 1935. p w. T. GOLLWITZER PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 1935. w.'1*. GOLLWITZER 2,002,773

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 w. 'r. CEOLLWITZER 2,002,773

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1950 May 28, 1935.

8 Sheets-Sheet 4 may 28, 1935. I

W. T. GOLLWITZER PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 ill/62W 27%,, if

. w. T. GOLILWITZER PRINTING MACHINE May 28, 1935.

B SheetS -Sheet e Filed NOV. 22, 1930 -i gi May 28, 1935. w. T. eopLwrrzEfi 2,002,773

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 May 28, 1935. w. "r. GOLLWITZER 2,002,773

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet 8.

7/ //Z MN Patented May 28, 1935 PRINTING MACHINE Walter T. Gollwitzer, Chicago, I ll., assignor to Addressograph Company, Chicago, 111., a poration of Delaware Application November 22, 1930, Serial No. 497,440

20 Claims.

This invention relates to printing machines and more particularly to a machine through which variable printing devices are sequentially passed and in which impressions are made at various positions on sheets successively fed thereinto.

, My invention is particularly useful in connection with printing machines used in the printing of tax bills, especially for real property. The legal description of parcels of property is printed on the tax bills, and this legal description is often of such a length that it cannot be arranged on but a single printing device, and it is therefore arranged on a number of printing devices which are collected in groups and the sheet is movedin the machine so that impressions will be made thereon from each of the printing devices of a group.- Furthermore, the tax bill may embody one, two, or three sections, and impressions are made. from each of the printing devices on each of the sections. It is manifest that the sheets are not uniformly passed through the machine, for when the legal description is on but a single printing device and the tax bill has two sections there willbe only two impressionsmade on the tax bill, but when the legal description is arranged on two printing devices four impressions will be made on the bill. It is therefore the salient object of my invention to provide a novel arrangement for feeding the bills or sheets into aprintingmachine so.

operable that a new sheet will not be fed into the machine until all of the impressions have been made on the previously fed sheet.

Another object is to provide a pneumatically operated 'device for separating the sheets from the stack in which they are arranged and to suecessively feed them one by one into the machine. And an ancillary object is to socontrol the pneumatic devices that inadvertent operation will not occur. I i 1 I A further object of the invention is to provide a safety devicewhich 'will interrupt operation of,

' substantially on the line 22 on Fig. 1;

. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view taken substantially on the line 3-3 on Fig. 1; i

a Fig. 4.- is a perspectivedetail view of the device as illustrated inFig. 3;

1 :Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational detail view looking in at the right hand end of the device as illustrated in Fig 1;,

Fig. 6 is asectionalview taken substantially on the line 6-6 on Fig. 5, inwhich certain parts are broken away; l

Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line l-'l on Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail-view similar to Fig. '7, showing theparts in another position;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail view' taken substantially on the line 9-9 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line l- -l0 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a sectional detail view illustrating the operating parts in a-position advanced from that shown in Fig. 6;

.;Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view of the machine illustrating a switch arrangement employed to control operation of the sheet feeding device; r V

Fig. 13 isadiagrammatic view illustrating the electrical connections;

Fig. 14 is a detail view of the main clutch;

Fig. 15 is a vertical sectional detail view showing the platen operating and printing device feeding means operating means;

Fig. 16 is a vertical sectional detail view illustrating the selector operating means and the means for moving the printing devices through the printing device guideway;

Fig. 17 is a perspective view illustrating the sheet moving devices arranged on the top of the table of the machine; and

Fig. 18 is a detail view of the devices operating the sheet shifting mechanisms.

In the accompanying drawings wherein a selected embodiment of my novel sheet feeding deviceis illustrated in connection with a printing machine, l2 indicates the frame of the machine having thereon a bed l3 supporting a table top I4 over which the tax bills or other sheets to be printed are passed. On this table top H is a jogger pan l into which the sheet is carried bya belt IE or other suitable sheet moving device.

The machine includes a magazine M into which theprinting devices D are introduced and from which they are sequentially withdrawn and passed along theusualprinting device guideway G into printing position below the platen P operable from the shaft I! in the manner described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 497,438 filed in the United States Patent Ofiice on November 22, 1930.-

In Figs. 15 and 16 the devices, disclosed in my referred to co-pending application, for operating the platen are illustrated and by referring thereto it may be seen that the platen arm I30 includes a leg [3! pivotally mounted on a lug I32 7 mounted on the bed I3. Branch arms I33 and 34 are provided on the platen arm and are extended on opposite sides of the shaft I7 and respectively mounted thereon are rollers I and I36 respectively engaging conjugated cams I37 and I38 mounted on a sleeve E39 disposed about the shaft I7 and detachably connected thereto to be under control of the selector mechanism disclosed in my referred to application, Serial No. 497,438. When the sleeve I39 is connected to the shaft I7 to rotate therewith, the conjugated cams act on the rollers I35 and I36 and impart a rock-" ing movement to the platen arm I39 to thereby move the platen P mounted on this arm toward and away from the printing device in printing position in the printing device guideway and which printing position is located immediately below said platen-P.

The printing devices are moved from the magazine M into printing position and are discharged from printing position by, pawls I40 on the printing device feeding chains MI mounted at opposite sides of the printing device guideway G. The printing device feeding chains extend about sprockets, such as fiFig. l6) and a step by step movement is imparted tothese sprockets and to the chains I M from a rocker M3 pivotally mounted at I44 on the bed I3. The rocker I43 has a pawl I45 at the outer free end thereof having a recessed nose 5 6 adapted to successively engage the pins l ll on the sprocket I42 when a reciprocatory movement is imparted to the rocker I43. The reciprocatory movement is imparted to the rocker I43 from an eccentric E48 mounted on the shaft I7 and surrounded by a band I49 carrying a plunger I59 that is extended through a sleeve I5! that is fast on an arm I52 which is a continuation of the rocker I 43. A collar I 53 is fast on the plunger 56% and is engaged by the shoulder I54 on the latch I55 that is pivotally mounted at I 56 on the sleeve I5I. So long as the shoulder I54 rests on the collar I53 and a reciprocatory movement is imparted to the plunger I55 by the eccentric M3 an oscillatory movement is imparted to the rocker I43. However, a pin i5? is provided on the latch I55 and this pin is engageable with a cam surface I53 on the rocker I59 that is pivotally mounted at I60 and which has an arm I6! carrying a roller I62 engageable with a cam 563 on the cam shaft 38 to be described more fully hereinafter. So long I as the roller IE2 rides on the rise or dwell of the cam 53, the rocker 659 is so positioned that the cam surface I58 will be engaged by the pin I57 in the reciprocation of the plunger I50 and the shoulder I54 will be disengaged from the collar I53 and no reciprocatory movement will be imparted to the rocker I43 with the result that feeding of the printing devices through the printing device guideway will not occur. However, when the roller H32 moves onto the drop I54 of the the platen P by the belt I 6, pan i5, and sheet jogging roller I8 in the manner described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 497,439, filed in the UnitedStates Patent Ofiice on November 22, 1933. g

The sheet feeding device forming the subject matterof this invention'successively passes sheets I74 which supports the solenoid I66.

onto the belt I6 in timed relation with the operation of the machine. The movement of the sheet relative to the platen P after it passes onto thebelt I6 is controlled by the mechanism fully described in my referred to co-pending application, Serial No. 497,439 and which mechanism is illustrated in Figs. 17 and 18.

As shown in Fig. 17, the belt I6 is directed across the pan I 5 mounted on the table I4, as stated. This pan I5 has lugs I65 depending therefrom which pass through slots in the table top I4 and which extend therethrough at right angles to the extent of the belt I6 and these lugs are movable 'along these slots to permit shifting of the pan i5 relative to the belt I6. I

. Shifting of the pan I5 is controlled by tabs or other identifying means provided on the printing devices which are engaged by detectors to close an electric circuit at a predetermined time, as described fully in my referred to co-pending application, Serial No. 497,439. Included in the electric circuit just referred to is the solenoid I66 and just prior to the time that the circuit is closed to this solenoid the rise on the cam I64 on the platen operating shaft I7 engages the roller IE5 at the upper end of the operating lever I66 that is pivotally mounted at I67 on a bracket I68 extending upwardly from the bed I3. Pivotally connected to the lower end of the lever I56 is a pawl I58 having a pin I69 depending therefrom. Joined to the operating lever N36 is a latch I'II having a shoulder I72 thereon which normally rests against the flat portion of the half-round pin I73 mounted on the member As soon as the rise on the cam 64 engages the roller I65 the lever I65 is so moved that the end thereof connected to the pawl I558 moves in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 18, and therefore the shoulder I72 is mover a short distance to be disengaged from the flat portion on the pin I73. Simultaneously with this, circuit is closed to the solenoid I66 to move the armature I75 thereof upwardly.

Disposed in alignment with the upper end of the armature I 75 is a pin I76 carried by the latch 87 and since the shoulder on the latch will have previously been disengaged from the flat portion on the pin 173, the latch may be moved upwardly in an amount sufiicient to disengage the shoulder I72 from the fiat portion. A spring I77 extends between spring anchors on the lever I56 and the member E74, and as the cam I64 continues to move and as the rise on said cam is withdrawn from'engagement with the roller I65, the spring I77 acts on the lever I65 to hold said lever in engagement with the periphery of the cam I64 and therefore the lever is motivated to move the pawl I68 toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 18. The pawl I53 has a spring anchor at one end thereof to which one end of a spring I79 is attached, the other end of said spring being connected to a spring anchor on the lever I I56. The disengaging of the shoulder I72 from the flat portion I73 and the movement imparted to the lever I65 by the spring 67 causes the latch IN and he pawl I58 to be moved toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 18, and when the pawl I68 is so moved the spring I79 pivots said pawl. On the end of the pawl ItB opposite the spring anchor thereonis a pin I8I having a half-round portion thereon.

Slidably supported below the bed I27 is a rack I82 having a plurality of ratchet teeth I53 thereon. When the pawl I68 starts to move in the above described manner and when it is pivoted by the spring I19, thefiat portion. on the pin I8I engages the first of the ratchet teeth I83 and the rack I32 is moved with the lever I66. A retaining pawl I 83 is provided which includes a pin I 89 having a half-roundportion thereon and this retaining pin is pivotally mounted below a shoulder on the block I86 and includes a relieved upper surface. Disposed between this relieved upper surface and the upper portion of the block is a spring I88 which normally urgesthel halfround portion of the pin I94,into engagement with the ratchet teeth I83. Themovement :imparted to the rack I 82 by the pawl IE8 is sufiicient to move the rack the length of one tooth in order that the fiat portion of the pin I84 will be forced into engagement with the tooth subsequent to the tooth it has been engaging.

The block I is secured to a rack I99 and the gear teeth in this rack mesh with a pinion 'JI9I on the shaft I92 and which carries asimilar pinion meshing with a'rack on a block similar to the block I65. The jogger pan I5 is con nected to the blocks and when the pawl I68 moves the rack I82, as described; the jogger pan I5 is moved rearwardly toward theplaten P. The pan includes channel portions I98 and I99 between which the sheet moved by" the belt is receive-d. An opening I91 is provided in the pan which is aligned with the printing device opening in the table top I4. Hence when the panIS is moved in the above described manner, a sheet received between the channel portionsthereon'is moved transversely of theline of movementimparted to the sheet by the belt 16.

In the operation of the machine the sheet is sometimes moved in the direction opposite to that in which it is moved by the belt I6 and it is to accomplish this that the sheet jogging roller i8 is provided, and this roller is mounted on the free end of a flexible shaft 293 which is journaled in a bearing 292 carried by the channel portion I99. The opposite end of the shaft 293 is jour naled in a bearing in the bracket 205 and at this end of the shaft there is a bevel gear 296 which meshes with a bevel gear 291 on the shaft 49. Inasmuch as the shaft 49 is continually rotated, it is manifest that the roller I8 is continually rotated. Therefore, the roller I3 is held from engagement with the sheet in the pan 'I5 and this is accomplished by the arm 298 of the bell crank, generally indicated by 299, which is pivotally mounted in a bracket 2| 9. Connected to the arm 2 I! of the bell crank 299 is a link 2 I8 which is adjustably attached to the lever I69; When the lever I65 is moved by the spring I" the link 25 3 is moved toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 18, and the bell crank 299 is so moved that the arm 298 thereof moves in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1'7, and it is therefore drawn from engagement with the rocker 29I on which the bearing 292 is carried, and this permits the roller I8 to move into engagement with the sheet and this engagement of the roller with the sheet cause's'the sheet m be moved ina direction opposite to that in which it is moved by its engagement with the belt I6. To insure movement of the sheet with the belt !6 I provide a roller '2I5 mounted on an arm 2"; pivotally mounted on a shaft 2I1.' The arm 2I9 includes a portion engageable with the cam 2I8 on the cam shaft 38 and this cam acts to raise and lower the roller 2 I5, as will be described. Movement of the sheet is arrested, to permit-limpressions'to be made thereon by the platen P, by

the stop finger 2i9 movement of the sheetis arrested andLthepIaten P acts to make an impression thereon. The cam 223 then retracts the stopfinger 2 I 9 and the sheet again starts to move with the belt I6 and this movement is aided by therroller 225 similar to and controlled similar to the roller 2I5. When the sheet is so moving, the%ca1n. 224 acts to position the stop finger 229 inposition to "engage the'sheet'and immediately prior'to this engagement theroller ,2I5 "is retracted. TheplatenxP then makes an impression on the sheet in the pan $5., J

Now if but two impressions are to be made on the sheet the stop finger 2291s retracted and the belt I6 carries the sheet" from the machine. However, if additional impressions are to be made, the pan I5 is shifted as described, and the roller I8 moves the sheet rearwardly whereupon the .sheet again moves into engagement successively with the stop fingers H9 and 229, and

this operation may be continued until as many impressions as desired have been made on the sheet. 1 1 .The pan- I5 is repositioned after it has been moved. by the closing of a circuit to the solenoid .225, the arm 22 of which has a link 228 connected thereto that controls the operation of the retaining pawl I 84, and when the solenoid 226 is energized theretaining pawl is retracted whereuponthe spring 229 moves the pan 25 back into its initial position. When the machine is used in theprinting of tax bills for real property the printing devices D have thereon the name and address of the owner of a parcel of real property as well as the legal description of the property; These printing devices are successively withdrawn from the maga- Zine M and are passed through themachine below the platen P which makes impressions therefrom through a suitable ink ribbon in the manner well understood in the art. The legal description of the parcels 'of property can sometimes be arranged on but a single printing device, but is often arranged ontwo or-more printing devices, and the machine is so arranged that printing operations will be performed on each tax bill in accordance with the number of printing devices having-the legal description of the particular parcel of property for which the tax bill is being printed. Furthermore, the tax bill often has more than one section, as for example, two sections and impressions are made from each of the printing devices on each of the sections of the tax bill. If, for example, the legal description is arranged on two printing devices and the tax bill has two sections the bill will be movedinto position below the platen P and'impressions will be made from the first printing device on the first section-thereof and an impression will next be made from the first printing device on the second section thereof. The sheet will then be moved laterally and transversely of the machine to align the portion thereof below that receiving the first impression with the platen, and the printing devices will be changed during the time the sheet is being'shifted and an impression will be made from the second printing .device on'the first section of the bill .and after this has been performed the :bill will be moved to receive an impression from the second printing device on the second section of the bill.

If the sheet :has more sections or if the legal description is arranged on more than two printing devices the sheet will be'additional'ly moved, as described above and with particularity in my referred to copending application, Serial No. 497,439. Sometimes the legal description is arranged on but one printing device and therefore the number of impressions made on the tax bill will be equal to the number :of sections thereof which in this instance is two. Thus, a sheet will be withdrawn from the rack on which it isstored, passed into the machine to receive thetwo impressions, and be passed therefrom. 'Manifestly, this will be performed much more rapidly than when a sheet is withdrawn from the rack, passed into the machine to receive four impressions, after which it is passed .from the machine, and clearly four impressions can be made much more rapidly than six impressions. Therefore, the sheet feeding device is operated in timed relation with the movement of the sheet being :printed and a new sheet will not be passed into the machine until the time the last impression 'is being-made on the preceding sheet.

lhe sheet feeding device is operated from the same mechanisms as those which operate the other portions of the machine. In the present instance a'bracket I9 is provided having bearings and 2| in which ashaft'22 is 'journaled having a flywheel 23 freely rotatable thereon in which there is a groove 24 in which a-belt or the like may be arranged that will be directed to-a suitable-source of power such as an electric motor. The flywheel 23 is connected to the shaft 22 by the clutch structure 25 fully described and claimed in my referred to co pending application, Serial No. 497,439 andmore fully described hereinafter. Also freely mounted on the shaft '22-isa spur gear 26 connectable to the shaft by the clutch structure '21. The gear 26 meshes with a gear 28, freely rotatable on the shaft '29 and connected to a spur gear 30 by the sleeve 31. The spur gear 36 meshes with a pinion 32 (Fig. 10) fixed on the-shaft 33:extended to the front of the machine into a gear housing '34 in which-a speed changing mechanism is provided, as'described in my referred to-co-pending applications,-SerialNo. 497,438 and Serial No. 497,439. The shaft 29 is suitably journaled and is extended to and is driven from the mechanisms comprising the speed changing device. Fixed on the shaft 29 isa bevel gear 35 meshed with a. bevel gear 37 mounted on the cam shaft 38 suitably 'journaledand extended acrossthe machine abovethe table top 44. The sheet feeding devices include the belt 16 extended across the machine above and in-juxtaposition to the table top 14 and it is directed around pulleys, such as 4l mounted on shafts and 40 suitably journaledat-OPDOsite ends of the machine. The belt l6 is-endless and is directed below the table top 14 and'around suitable guide pulleys 42 (Fig. 10) carried by brackets-43 mounted on the frame 1-2. The shafts 39 and 40 are interconnected by an endless belt 44 directed about pulleys mounted thereornand therefore the shafts 39 and 46 will be synchronically operated. In the .pre'sentinstanceit is the shaft-39 which is driven and the "drive includes the pinion 45 (*Fig. 10) fixed on the shaft :39 and meshed with an intermediate gear 46 meshed with the pinion 32. Itis apparent that'the shaft 35 will be operated rapidly relative to the operation of the shaft 22 :by reason of the ratio between the gears 30 and 3-2. The belt 16 is operated to move toward the right in Fig. '10.,iwhich will be toward the left in Fig. .1, and the devices for withdrawing the sheet from the storage rack are arranged to direct the sheet onto the .belt I 6 adjacent the shaft 39.

As has been stated, theplaten P is operated from the shaft I? and this shaft is driven by the bevel gear 4'! meshed with the bevel gear 48 mounted at the inner end of the shaft 22. Since all the :mechanisms are driven from the shaft 2?. it is manifest that timed relation therebetween may be..maintained by arranging the various power transmitting parts to be of a predetermined ratio and therefore the cam shaft 38 may be arranged to operate in predetermined relation with :the shaft H, and this rotation of the cam shaft 38 isdetermined by the number of sections on the tax bill to be printed. Thus, if the tax bill embodies two sections the shaft i! will be rotated twice to one revolution of the cam shaft 38 and if a three section tax bill is to be printed then the machine would be so arranged that the shaft :I] would make three revolutions to one of the cam shaft 38.

Themechanisms for withdrawing the sheets from the storage rack are best illustrated in Figs. 2, 5, 6, and 11, and by referring thereto it may be seen that a sucker :bar 49 is rockably mounted in asuitable manner on the frame i 2, and this sucker bar extends transversely of the machine in juxtaposition to the upper end of the rack 58 and is disposed at the end of the machine at which the shaft :39 is journaled. In this rack the sheets or 5131118 S are stacked in vertical disposition and as best :shown in Fig. 6 the upper edges of these sheets extend beyond the upper end of the rack 50. On the sucker bar 49 are a plurality of nozzles 5! arranged in spaced relation. These nozzles are movable into a position to engage the sheet resting against the substantially vertically extending plate of the rack.

lthas been pointed out that the sucker bar is rockably mounted and provided thereon is a depending boss 52 to which one end of a link 53 is pivotally connected and at the opposite end of the link '53 is a rotatably mounted roller 54 engaging "the peripheral cam 55 fixed to the shaft 35 and rotatable in the direction of the arrow shown on Fig. 6. When the roller 54 is engaging the rise on thecam 55 the sucker bar 49 is so positioned that the nozzles 5| are located slightly-downwardl-y of the position illustrated in Fig. 11, which will be described more fully hereinafter. However, when the roller moves into the depression in the periphery of the cam 55 the sucker-bar is pivoted upwardly and the nozzles 51 engage the inwardmost sheet.

The sucker bar 49 is hollow and one end thereof is tightly closed while to the otherend a suitableoonduit is connected which is directed to an air exhausting means (not shown) of approved form which may be an air pump, blower or the like and the conduit extending from the sucker bar 49 is connected to the inlet of such air exhausting .means and air is therefore drawn through the nozzles 5!. Thus, when the nozzles 55 .engage :the-inwardmost sheet, passage thereinto is closed by the :sheet and a vacuum is drawn in the sucker bar '49 and nozzles 5i and therefore the sheet is tightly held against the nozzles. Thecam 55 will continue to rotate and the roller 54 will move into engagement with the intermediate portion of the cam, as illustrated in .Fig. 11, and when in this position the sucker bar 49 and the nozzles 5| are pivoted into position substantially similar to that illustrated in Fig. 11. It has been pointed out that the shaft 33 is operated rapidly relative to the speed of rotation of the shafts 22 and 29 and adjustably mounted on the shaft 33 are. feed rollers 56, 56 which are secured thereto by set screws or the like in order that they may be positioned near the center of the sheet to be fed into the machine. The nozzles 5| move so as to pass below the periphery of the feed rollers 56, as shown in Fig. 11, and the feed rollers 56 are'rotated with the shaft 33 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6 and therefore when the nozzles 5| move below the periphery thereof thesheet, held thereagainst by the vacuum in the'sucker bar 49, will engage the periphcries of the feed rollers 56.

The sheets are forced into engagement'with the periphery. of the feed rollers 56 by the clamping rollers 51, 5'! in the form of ball bearings and adjustable along the shaft .58 on which they are mounted so that theymay be alignedwith the feed rollers 56, forwardly of a vertical center plane through the shaft 33 in an appreciable amount, as illustrated in Fig. 11, said rollers 51 being held in engagement with the rollers 56 by a spring 64 extended between spring anchors in the arms 59 and spring anchors in the bracket 65. However, when the roller 62 engages the rise on the cam 63 the arm 6| will be moved toward the right into the position shown in Fig. 6'and therefore the rollers 51 will be moved toward the vertical center plane through the shaft 33 to permit the upper edge of the sheet being moved by the nozzles 5| to pass the rollers 51 and into engagement with the rollers '56, and as soon as the roller 62 moves from the rise on'the cam 63, which will immediately follow thejust described movement of the nozzles 5| below the peripheries of the rollers 56, the rollers 51 will move over the sheet and therefore very. effectively clamp the same against the feed rollers 56 and at this time the vacuum in the sucker bar 49 will be broken in a manner to be described and therefore the sheet will be rapidly fed by rol1ers56 onto the.

sheet moving means which in the present instance is the belt l6. Y

It is important that the rollers 51 move toward the vertical center plane through the shaft 33 sufficiently to permit the edge of the sheet to pass thereby, but by reason of the fact that the clamping rollers 51 must quickly move intoposition to clamp the sheet against the feed rollers 56, it is necessary that this positioning of the rollers 51 out of the path of the edge of the sheet be nicely adjusted. Legs66 (Fig. 6), forminga part of the bell crank levers embodying the arms 59, are engaged with a bar 61 supported by screws suchas position of' the rollers'5'l on the peripheries of the feed. rollers '56.

An arm 69 (Fig. 11) is pivotally connected to the upperend of the link 53 at the rotatable mounting of the roller 54 and this arm is also I pivotally mounted on the frame at T9. 'A spring 1| extends between spring anchors on the arm 69 and the frame and urges the roller into engagement with the cam 55.

'It has been pointed out that the cam 55 embodies, in addition to. the rise and fall thereof, an intermediate portion and the roller 54 is shown .on this intermediate portion in Fig. 11, and asthelroller 54 moves from this intermediate portion onto the dwell an additional movement is imparted to the link63 and the arm 69 to break the vacuum in the'sucker bar 49. The means enabling this include the block .H mounted on. the sucker bar 49 and having pivotally mounted thereon at 12 a bell crank 13 including an arm havingan adjusting screw '55 thereinengaging the block 1| whereby the disposition of theiarm- 16 of the bell'crank 13 may be varied.

.' I he 16 normally rests against, the head of the stem T! of the poppet valve including the valve discis'normally closing aaplurality of openings communicating with the hollow interior of the suckerfbarAB; A spring 19 actson the head of the stem .11 to normally-holdthe; disc 78 in closing position; However, at'the time the roller 54 movesfrom the-intermediate portion of the cam '55 onto therise or dwell thereof, movement is imparted to the arm- 69 which, is transmitted.

through the block 1| and arm 16 of the bell crank 13 to 'act on the stem ll against the effect of thespring l9 to'move the disc 18 from closing position relative to the openings communicating withthe sucker bar 49, and, as soon as passage is permitted through these openings, the vacuum in the sucker bar 49 is destroyed and this occurs simultaneously with the clampingv of the sheet against the feed rollers 55 by the clamping rollare 57. Asthe cam 55 continues to rotate, the nozzles 5| are moved below the position illustrated in Fig. 11, and are out of the way of the sheet which may then be unrestrictedly fed by thefeed rollers 55 in the above described manner.

Another cam 80 is'fixed on the shaft 35 and a roller 8|. (Fig. 6) is held thereagainst by the spring 82. The roller 8| is carried by the. arm 83 and one end of the spring 62 is connected to a stud on this arm. The other end of the arm 83 is mounted on the pivotalmounting i6 and connected therewith is the finger armtd, carrying the finger bar 85. After the nozzles 5| have moved .the inwardmost sheet downwardly and substantially into engagement with the feed rollers 56, the cam 89 will have rotated in an amount sufiicient to engage the roller .8| with the rise thereon and at this time the finger bar 65 :will have been moved into engagement with the sheets in the rack 56 to hold the sheets therein as the sheetengaged with the nozzles 5| is withdrawn from the rack. The finger bar 85 moves into engagement with the sheets in the rack. 50 as soon as the sheet held against the nozzles 5| moves thereby. In this manner displacement of the other sheetsfrom the rack is prevented during the removal of the sheet to be fed into the'machine.

The speed changing mechanisms in the housing 34 operate the shaft 35 in timed relation with the platen operating shaft and if a two section tax bill is being printed the platen operating shaft will make two revolutions. .to one of shaft 35.

Therefore, if the sheet being printed is a tax bill for real property and the legal description of the parcel of real property is arranged on but a single printing device, a sheet will be fed into the machine in the above described manner and two impressions will be made thereon and the sheet will then move from the machine and a new sheet will be fed thereinto. If, for example, this new sheet is to receive four impressions, as when the legal description for a parcel ofv real property is arranged on a lead andvone follower printing device, fonr impressions will be made on the; sheet, two impressions being made from the lead printing device and two impressions will be made from the follower printing device. The sheet is shifted in the manner described heretofore and with particularity in my co-pending' application Serial No. 497,439, at the time the follower printing device supplants the lead printing device at printing position in the machine and during this time, it is necessary that the sheet feeding mechanism be held against operation in order that a new sheet will not be fed into the machine until all of the impressions have been made on the previous sheet.

To this end, a boss 86 is provided on the sucker bar 49 and an arm ST is provided, the outer end of which is engageable with the bossor lug 9.6, for a purpose and in a manner to be described. A bracket 88 is mounted on the frame of the machine and carries a solenoid 89 including an armature 90. An arm 9I is provided on the bracket- 88 and the arm 8'! is pivotally mounted thereon at 92. An adjustable screw 93 is'carried by the arm 81 and normally rests against the armature 9! to hold the outer end of the arm 8? in the path of movement of the: lug 86 when the sucker bar 4 9 is moved in the previously described manner. However, when the solenoid 89 is energized, the armature 99 thereof acts to withdraw the arm 81 from the path of movement of the lug 86. When the solenoid is not energized the arm 81 remains in position to be engaged by the lug 3'5 and this prevents the sucker bar 49 from moving to engage the nozzles 5! with the inwardmost sheet in the rack 59. Y

The solenoid 89 is energized at a predetermined time in the operation of the machine and this is controlled by the timing switch 96 (Fig. l),

' operable by the pin on the disc 96' mounted on the cam shaft 38. y

On the printing devices fro-m which the impressions are taken, variable members are provided in the form of tabs or the like'and these members are utilized to bring about the interruption of the feeding mechanism by engaging the arm 87 with the lug 88 in the manner described. These members are indicated by T in Fig 12 and are provided on all of the printing devices preceding a lead printing device, for when a lead printing device is to move into printing position and a new sheet is to be fed into the machine this feeding of a new sheet follows the making of the last impression on the previously fed sheet. These tabs T engage a rod 95 extended through a block of insulating material 96, and the insulated lower end of this rod engages a yieldable contact arm 9'? on which there is a contact 98 engageable with a contact 99 on the yieldable contact arm mu. When the tab T depresses the rod 95 thecontacts 98 and 99 are engaged but circuit is not closed to the solenoid 89 until the timing switch 94 is closed. Circuit is closed to the solenoid 89. from the line wires Hit and I 02 when the switches 93 and I94 are closed, the

switch I03 being the main control switch of the machine, while the switch I94 is used to control the operation of the sheet feeding mechanism, and when this switch is open sheets will be consecutively fed into the machine in accordance with the timing of the shaft 35, the arm at this time being manually thrown into an inoperative position, When the switches I93 and Hit are closed current will flow from the line wires I9! and I92 into conductors 295 and 96 to energize the motor IU'I which is the source of power previously referred to. Conductors E93 and IE9 are respectively connected to the conductorsi535 and I05 and current therefore flows from the conductor It! through the conductor I95, conductor I08, conductor M9 to contact arm 9? and when the contacts 98 and 99 are engaged current iiows therethrough into contact arm I99 through condoctor I I I and when the switch 94 is closed current flows through conductor H2, through the winding of the solenoid 89 through conductor 5 I3, conductor I69, conductor I96 to conductor I62. Since the members T may be provided on as many printing devices as required, it is manifest that the sheet feeding mechanisms may be rendered inoperative for any required period and therefore, if the sheet fed into the machine is to receive four impressions this circuit will be opened to prevent the feeding of a new sheet until all four impressions have been made on the previously fed sheet. If, by way of example, the tax bills embody three sections and impressions are to be made from a lead printing device and two follower printing devices, nine impressions would be made on the sheet and therefore a new sheet would not be fed until all nine impressions had been made.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 497,- 438, I have described the manner in which the clutch Z5 is engaged so that the shaft 22 will be driven with the flywheel 23. In the event no sheet is fed into the machine because of a failure of the sheet feeding mechanism, a safety device is provided which will disengage the clutch 15 to thus disconnect the shaft 22 from the flywheel 23 and, as the various mechanisms in the machine are driven from the shaft 22, it is manifest that operation thereof will therefore be interrupted. This safety. mechanism includes 'a grooved pulley IM mounted on the shaft 39 .ad-

jacent the pulley 4 I. Depending from the. bracket I9 is a lug I I5 on which an arm i It is pivo-tally mounted. The arm H9 carries a shaft Iii on which a roller I I8 is rotatably mounted, said roller being aligned with the groove in the pulley If a sheet S is fed into the machine the sheet will be disposed between the roller i i9 and the grooved pulley H9, as illustrated in Fig. 9, and the'par'ts will therefore be held in the positions illustrated in Figs. 7 and 9. However, should no sheet be fed into the machine, the roller H9 at the outer end of the arm H9, will move into the fall in the cam I23 fixed on the shaft 35, said roller being held from said fall when the roller II 8 rides on the sheet as illustrated in Fig. Q). When the roller moves into the fall .in the cam I29 the link IZI is permitted to move downwardly, said link normally being held in an upper position by a lug on the arm H9, which arm is held in upper position by the roll-er I 58 riding on the rise on the cam E29. When the link i 25 pivots downwardly the nose I22 thereof engages the shoulder I23 on the cam I24 fixed on the shaft The mechanisms for holding the clutch engaged include the latching member I25 and the dog v which are normally engaged; as illustrated in Fig.

7, but when the nose I22 engages the shoulder I 23 a movement is impartedthrough the .link IZI which pivots the plate I25 and disengages the shoulders on said plate and the dog I26 and the shoulders move into the position illustrated in Fig. 8 which causes disengagement ofthe clutch The clutch tb inclu'des a collar (Fig. 14). which is suitably secured to the flywheel 23 but which is rotatable on shaft 22. Adisc292 is fixed to the shaft 22 and pivotally mounted onthis discis a latching pawl 233 having I a nose 294 which is urged toward a pocket 295 in the collar 29Iby a spring 296, said nosebeing held out of said pocket by the engagement of the pawl with the latching member as: which is pivotally mounted at 298-on the frame of the machine and which has a pin 299 therein. The member Bel fixed on shaft 289 has a slot sec therein which'is eccentric toYth'e shaft 282 When the handle 2% is disposed, as shown inl 'ig. 7, the member 3M is so positioned that the pin 2% is in the less eccentric portion of .the slot 39 and the nose of the latching-member 291 is drawn from engagement with the pawl 293 and the nose 294 thereof is seated in the pocket 295 and thus the flywheel 23 and the shaft 22 are connected. When, however, the handle 290 is so moved as to move the rounded portion 302 of the dog E26 into engagement with the latching member I25, as shown in Fig. 8 the latching member 29? engages the pawl 293 and disengages the nose 294 from the pocket 295 and thus the flywheelis disconnected from the shaft 22. The latching member !25 is'urged toward'the dog I26 by the spring 383 but the rounded portion 302 prevents engagement until the handle 290 has been moved to properly position the shoulder 281." The movement imparted tothe rod I22 is in opposition to the action of the spring 303 and itis therefore manifest that the rod will disconnect the shoulders 286 and 28! which are normally engaged and the spring 3% acts through the shaft 289 tourge the handle 299 into a position whereat the roundedportion 362 will be engaging thelatch I25. The disengagement of the shoulders 286 and 28'! may also be brought about by the safety handle 304, the striking of this handle obviously disengaging the shoulders. f

In the foregoing description I have set forthmy invention in connection with a printing machine used in the printing of tax bills but this is not to be taken as a limitation of my invention for it'is susceptible to many other uses other than in the printing of tax bills. It is however manifest that I have provided a device which will readily operate to interrupt the operation of the sheet feedingmechanism in order that aplurality of impressions may be made on a sheet being printed without destroying the timed relation of the sheet feeding mechanism with the other mechanisms of the machine. Moreover, I have provided a device wherein. the sheet feeding mechanism may be' interrupted in a variable manner so that a predetermined number of impressions may be made on one sheet, while a different number of impressions may be made on another sheet and, if desired, still a greater or less number of impressions may be made on athird sheet and the device is so constructed that a new sheet will be fed into the machine when the last of the impressions have been made on thepreviously fed sheet. Moreover, the device is so constructed that operation of the machine will be interrupted in the event-nosheet is fed thereinto and this aug ments the maintenance of the timed relation between the various devices onthe printing machine and the sheet feeding mechanism.

. In the foregoing description I have disclosed aselected-embodiment of 'my invention but it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details but desire toavail myself of such changes and modifications as'fall within the purview of the following claims:

' 'I claim'L 1. 'In a printing machine which has printing means and means for controlling the operation thereof whereby a variable number of impressions may be on a sheet fed into the machine, sheet feeding means, and meanscontrolling the operation of said sheet feeding means and including apiartwhichis in operative position when the last impression is being made on a sheet and another part operating in timed relation with the printing' means and cooperating with the first part to delay feeding of a new sheet into the machineuntil the last impression has been made on a, previously fed sheet 7 [2? Ina printing machine which has printing means and means for controlling the operation thereof whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on a sheet fed into the machine, sheet feeding means, and electrical means con trolling theoperation of the sheet feeding means and including aswitch which is closed when the last impression is beingmade on a sheet and another switch in series withthe first switch and operating in timed relation with the printing means to delay feeding of a new sheet into the machine until the last impression has been made on a previously fed sheet.

3. Ina printing machine which has printing means and means .for controlling the operation thereof whereby a variable number of impressions maybe made. on a sheet fed into the machine, sheet feeding means, and electrical means embodyinga .switch closed by the printing means when thelast impression is being made on a sheet and'another switch in series with the first switch and operated in timed relation with the printing means to delay feeding of a new sheet into the ma chine until the last impression has been made on a-previously fed sheet.

,4.-Ir 1 a printing machine which has printing means and meansfor controlling the operation thereof whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on a sheet fed into the machine, means forupositioning the sheet relative to the printingmeans and including a part operating in timedrelation with the printing means, sheet feeding means, means controlling the operation of the sheet feeding means whereby a sheet is notfed into the machine until the last impression has been made on the preceding sheet, and means regulatingthe operation of the controlling means and controlled by means associated with theprinting means and said part of said sheet positioning means. 7 5. In a printing machine which has printing means and means for controlling the operation thereof-whereby a variable number of impressions maybe made on a sheet fed into the machine means for positioning the sheet relative to'the printing means and including a part operating in timed relation with the .printingmeans', sheet feeding means, means-including electromagnetic means for controlling the'operation of the sheet feeding-means whereby a sheet is not fed into the machine until the lastimpression has been made on the preceding sheet, and an electric circuit for regulating the operation of the controlling means and including switch means operated by means associated with the printing means and said part of said sheet positioning means.

6. In a printing machine which has printing means and means for controlling the operation thereof whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on a sheet fed into the machine, means for positioning the sheet relative to the printing means and including a part operating in timed relation with the printing means, sheet feeding means, electro-magnetic means for controlling the operation of the sheet feeding means whereby a sheet is not fed into the machine until the last impression has been made on the preceding sheet, and switch means controlling the operation of said electro-magnetic means and including a part operated by the printing means and another part operated by said part of said sheet positioning means to operate said controlling means at a predetermined time in the operation of the machine if the part controlled by the printing means is rendered operative.

'7. In a printing machine which has means for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, means for controlling the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressionsmay be made on sheets fed into the machine, sheet feeding means, and electrical means controlling the operation of the sheet feeding means and including a switch operated by control means on the printing devices and another switch in series with the first switch and operated in timed relationwith the platen to delay fee-ding of a new sheet into the machine until the last impression has been made on a previously fed sheet;

V 8. In a printing machine which has means for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, and means for controlling the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on sheets fed into said machine by the platen from the printing devices, the combination of a sheet feeding means including a rack for supporting the sheets to be printed in the machine, a feed roller, suction means for withdrawing a sheet from the rack and moving it into engagement with the feed roller, a

clamping roller, means for retracting the clamp- 7 for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, and means for controlling the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on sheets fed into said machine by the platen from the printing devices,

the combination of a sheet feeding means including a rack for supporting the sheets to be printed inthe machine; a feed. roller, suction nozzles, means for moving said suction nozzles into engagement with the forwardmost sheet in the rack and for then moving said nozzles past the periphery of the feed roller to engage the sheet with the feed roller, a clamping roller, means for retracting the clamping roller to permit engagement of the sheet with the feed roller and for advancing the clamping roller into position to clamp the sheet in engagement with the feed roller, means for rendering said suction operated means inoperative subsequent to movement thereof past the periphery of the feed roller and subsequent to advancing of the clamping roller, and means for delaying the operation of the sheet feeding means until the last impression has been made on a sheet previously fed into the machine.

10. In a printing machine which has means for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, and means for controlling the opertion of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on the sheets fed into said machine by said platen from said printing devices, the combination of sheet feeding means including sheet supporting means, and suction operated means for withdrawing a sheet from said sheet supporting means when the last of the variable number of impressions have been made on a sheet previously fed into said machine.

11. In a printing machine which has means for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, 'a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, and means for controlling the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a. variable number of impressions may be made on the sheets fed into said machine by said platen from said printing devices, the combination of sheet feeding means in cluding sheet supporting means, suction operated means for withdrawing sheets from said supporting means when the last of the variable number of impressions have been made on a previously ied sheet, and means for moving the withdrawn sheet into said printing machine.

12. In a printing machine which has means for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, and means for controlling the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on the sheets fed into said machine by said platen from said printing devices, the combination of sheet feeding means including sheet supporting means, means for withdrawing sheets from said supporting means when the last of the variable number of impressions have been made on a previously fed sheet, means for moving the withdrawn sheet into said printing machine, and means for clamping the withdrawn sheet in engagement with the moving means.

13. In a printing machine which has means for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, and means for controlling the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressions maybe made on the sheets fed into said machine by said platen from said printing devices, the combination of sheet feeding means including sheet supporting means, means for withincluding sheet supporting means, means for drawing sheets from said supporting means when the last of the variable number of impressions have been made on a previously fed sheet, means 'for moving the withdrawn sheet into said printing machine, means forclamping the withdrawn sheet in engagement with the moving means, and

means for Withdrawing said clamping means to permit a sheet to pass thereby and for moving said clamping means into clamping position after a sheet has passed thereby and engaged said moving means.

14. In-a printing machine which hasmeans for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing'devices, and means for controlling the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on the sheets fed into said machine by said platen from said printing devices, the combination of sheet feeding means'including sheet supporting means, means for withdrawing sheets from said supporting means when the last of the. variable number of impressions have-been made on a previously fed sheet, means for determining the position of said clamping ,means on said moving means. a

15. In a printing machine which has means for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions irom said printing devices, and means for 'controlling the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on the sheets fed into said machine by said platen from said printing de-. vices, the combination of sheet feeding means including sheet supporting means, means for withdrawing a sheet from said sheet supporting means when the last of the variable number of impressions have been made on a sheet previously fed into said machine, and means for holding the remaining sheets in said supporting means as said withdrawing means moves a sheet therefrom.

16. In a printing machine which has means for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, and means for controlling the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on the sheets fed into said machine by said platen from said printing devices, the combination of sheet feeding means including sheet supporting means, means for withdrawing a sheet from said sheet supporting means, and means for controlling operation of said withdrawing means whereby a new sheet will not be fed into the machine until the last of the variable number of impressions have been made on a previously fed sheet. V 17. In a printing machine which has means for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, and means for withdrawing a sheet from said sheet supporting means, means for controlling operation of said f a previously fed sheet, and electrically operated means for controlling the operation of said controlling means'.

18. In a printing machine which has means for therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, and means for controlling the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on the sheets fed into said machine by said platen from said printing devices, the combination of sheet feeding means including sheet supporting means, means for withdrawing a sheet from said sheet supporting means, means for controlling operation of said withdrawing means whereby a new, sheet will not be fed into the machine until the last of the variable number of impressions have been made on a previously fed sheet, electrically operated means for controlling the operation of said controlling means, and means operating in timed relation with said plate-n for controlling the operation of said electrically operated means.

19. In a printing machine which has means for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, and means for controlling the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on the sheets fed into said machine by said platen from said printing devices, the combination of sheet feeding means including sheet supporting means, means for withdrawing a sheet fromsaid sheet supporting means, means for controlling operation of said withdrawing means 'whereby a new sheet will not be fed into the machine until the last of the variable number of impressions have been made on a previously fed sheet, electrically operated means for controlling the operation of saidcontrolling means, and means operable bymembers on said printing devices for controlling the circuit to said electrically operated means.

' 20. In a printing machine which has means for sequentially moving variable printing devices therethrough, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices, and means for controlling. the operation of said printing device moving means whereby a variable number of impressions may be made on the sheets fed into said means, means for controlling operation of saidwithdrawing'means whereby a new sheet will not be fed into the machine until the last of the variable number of impressions have been made on a previously fed sheet, electrically operated means for controlling the operation of said controlling means, means operable by members on said printing devices for controlling the circuit to said electrically operated means, and means operating in timed relation with said platen for closing the circuit to said electrically operated means when said first-named circuit controlling means are in circuit closing position.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER. 

